1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tow bars that are used for the purpose of towing a vehicle behind another vehicle to maintain proper distance and control over said vehicles.
More particularly to a multi-interchangeable tow bar that has a basic tow bar, comprising a center bar, with a coupler on the front end thereof, two center plates welded to said center bar, one upper and one lower, producing a yoke, two arms fitted in said yoke, pivotal for adaptation to said vehicle; at the rear end of each arm are attaching holes for the purpose of attaching or detaching a number of selective component parts, which allows for two type of tow bars, furthermore, said tow bar has, two safety bars, as well as, a chain, that allows a choice of uses.
However, the basic multi-interchangeable tow bar does not include any of said selective component parts attachable to said arms in a permanently attached manner. To attain a complete tow bar, said selective component parts are chosen and assembled according to the need which varies from vehicle to vehicle, due to vehicle design changes. Furthermore said basic tow bar is adaptable to an unlimited number of vehicles, such as, automobiles, airplanes, tanks, tractor or any vehicle to be towed.
Two types of tow bars are obtained in this invention are:
(a.) Included in this type of tow bar is said basic tow bar and the following selective component parts attached to each of said basic tow bar arms; a interchangeable swivel brace, upper and lower jaws, two safety bars, to assemble said basic bar into a complete tow bar that clamps onto a vehicle's bumper to be towed, additionally there is a set of alternate upper jaws which may be used; whereas, this type of tow bar is clamp onto bumper type. PA1 (b.) Included in this type of tow bar is said basic tow bar and the following selective component parts attached to each of said basic tow bar arms; a interchangeable swivel brace, with a flat vertical face, and changeable plates, assembled together and attached to said basic tow bar arms. Also, two safety bars, a center brace, a draw chain tightening hook, assembled and attached to the center bar of said basic tow bar, moreover, a draw chain used to secure said completed tow bar to the frame of said vehicle to be towed, as this kind of tow bar abuts up against the bumper of said vehicle to be towed: whereas, this type of tow bar is abutment to bumper type.
Bolts, washers, and nuts are used to connect most parts together in both types of tow bars.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are numerous types of tow bars, that are designed to tow one vehicle behind another. A number of these are as follows:
______________________________________ Eger 3,817,558 Lane 3,938,830 Milner 3,806,162 Hoock 3,427,045 Pierce 3,947,062 Safford 3,072,419 Shattles et al 4,022,489 Woodke 3,649,049 Hawkins 4,266,800 Blachon (France) 806,862 Green 2,529,686 Labourdette (France) 500,110 ______________________________________
Tow bars are primarily of a basic design from the front coupler through a yoke longitudinal pivotal arms to their attaching holes for assemblies or welded assembles that make contact with the vehicles to be towed. While, there is some differences between said coupler and rear end of said pivotal arms, most design difference is based on what type of requirements are needed to attach a basic tow bar to a vehicle that is to be towed.
Design differences of vehicles that are towed has been the factor that has brought about a need for different designed assemblies connecting tow bar arms and each towed vehicle.
This design difference will become more apparent through each reference of the following prior art.
Eger's patent has a hitch portion that couples Eger's tow bar to a towing vehicle; said tow bar has a center bar held by a tubular member serving as a yoke for tow bar arms, wherein, there is on the rear end of said arms is a collar to hold a support rod, which serves as the assembly that attaches said tow bar to the vehicle to be towed, said connecting assemblies are held in place by a pivotal bolt for adjustment. Eger's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from on type of tow bar to another.
Lane's patent has a front coupler serving as a yoke for pivotal arms, on the rear end of said arms is a pivotal pin for adjustment and the attachment of shoe assembly which abuts up to a vehicle's bumper and bolts in place. Lane's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Milner's patent has a front coupler, a center bar, a u-shape yoke, a adjustable assembly for adjustment for a type of safety bar, tow bar arms, wherein, a bolt-pin holds an assembly that attaches said tow bar to a vehicle's front bumper, also, included is a chain means which is secured to the frame of the vehicle that is to be towed. Milner's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type to another.
Hoock's patent has a pair of clevis plates that serves as both a coupler and a yoke, there are two pivotal arms, wherein, on the rear of each arm is bolt-pins which hold bracketed assemblies for attachment to vehicle to be towed. Hoock's tow bar is designed as permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Pierce's patent has a coupler that, also, serves as a yoke to hold two nonpivotal diagonal linked arms, which are bolted together at the yoke part of said coupler, wherein, said bars are attached by removeable bolts for adjustment, thereafter, is a bolted clamping assembly at the end of said slide bars, for attachment to the vehicle to be towed. Pierce's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Safford's patent has a coupler on the front, which also, serves as a yoke, there are two arms extending rearwardly, also, there are abutting end plates welded to the rear end of each arm. Furthermore, there is a draw chain which attaches to the frame of the vehicle to be towed, wherein, there are tightening bolts to secure said tow bar to the vehicle to be towed. Safford's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Shattles's patent has a coupler that, also, serves as a yoke, two pivotal curved arms, a safety bar stationed between the permanently attached mounting assemblies, two links that serve as a forward safety bar, said mounting assemblies each have upper bumper hooks with a chain means and a lower bumper hook with a chain means for securing said assembly to the bumper on a vehicle to be towed, also, a right and a left safety chain that's secured between two vehicle. Shattles's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Woodke's patent has a front coupler that, also, serves as a yoke; two pivotal arms, which has a welded bumper pad assembly that abuts up to the bumper of the vehicle to be towed; there is a draw-chain means that attaches to the frame of the vehicle to be towed and a chain hook; a draw bolt and nut to tighten said draw chain, in order, to secure said welded bumper pad assembly tight to said vehicle's bumper, also, this tow bar includes a safety bar. Woodke's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Hawkins's patent has a front coupler that serves as a yoke, a center bar, two pivotal arms, on the rear of said arms are welded vertical bracket assemblies, said bracket assembly abuts up to the bumper, and is secured to the vehicle to be towed, whereby, two chain means attaches to said vehicle's frames, said chain means runs forward through a welded bracket on the sides of said tow bar arms, whereas, said chains are tightened, to secure said tow bar to said vehicle; another chain means is used on each arm over the top of each vertical bracket assembly to secure it to said bumper, additionally there is a pair of link members that serve as a safety bar. Hawkin's tow bar is designed as a permanently assembled tow bar without any intention to alter or change it from one type of tow bar to another.
Two of the foregoing patents references are not for a "Y" type of tow bar, rather they are as follows:
Green's patent has a bumper hitch which as a clamping assembly that clamps over a bumper, it has a lug extended rearward for connection to a draw bar, with a hole for a bolt to attach it to a draw bar. Green's hitch is one permanent design and is not designed as a way to make tow bars multi-interchangeable.
Labourdette tow bar has a coupler to attach it to a vehicle towing an other vehicle, there is a clamping assembly on a single draw bar for attaching it to said vehicle to be towed. There has not been any alternate attaching assemblies to said Labourdette draw bar.
In reference to prior art when considering the following patents. Eger, Lane, Milner, Hoock, Green, Pierce, Blachon (France), and Labourdette (France) have holes to bolt and attach an element thereto, these elements are the final contact point with towed vehicle. Thus, Eger's elements; ear, support rod, collar, ear', support rod' and collar'. Lane elements: tongue member, ears, draft bars, pivot pin, and apertures. Milners's elements: towing bar member, upper end shaft, and pin. Hoock's bolt-pins as it fits apertured connecting plates. Green elements: lug hole for bolt to attach to a draw bar. Pierce where bolt add on to the end of the tow bar. Labourdette element bolt in the swiveling bumper connector, wherein, each of these patents there is only one designed connector or connector assembly between the rear end of a draw bar or tow bar arms and the vehicle to be towed.
Each of the above patent's intent is only to use the holes and bolt-pins as a means to attach one designed connector or connector assembly and to allow for adjustment between draw bar or tow bar and vehicle to be towed.
The problems solved by the Multi-Interchangeable tow bar has been designed to include a new concept in the use of the holes and bolt-pins at the rear end of the tow bar arms, that is, to alternate with interchangeable connector assemblies between said tow bar arms and the vehicle to be towed, in order, to service each vehicle as designed, giving this invention a new and useful result. When in fact the Multi-Interchangeable Tow Bar is designed to change from one type of tow bar to another, without changing the basic part of said tow bar, but rather, changing only required connecting assemblies between said tow bar arms and a vehicle to be towed, to meet designed changes from one vehicle to another.
In the past patents for tow bar designs there has never been any attempt to make tow bars more useful by interchanging the parts that attach to the rear end of the tow bar arms and retaining the basic part of the tow bar, whereas, with the Multi-Interchangeable Tow Bar, there is a new concept of use, a course correction, wherein the past a person using a tow bar was required to change the whole tow bar, because of vehicle designs vary from one vehicle to another vehicle.
In this invention is a new concept of the use of tow bars that teaches and solves the problem of design changes by designing the tow bar as follows.
Where there is a basic tow bar without permanent connector assemblies that are used between the tow bar arms and the vehicle to be towed with the use of a center bar to be used as needed without permanent connector assemblies on it's rear end for an original interchangeable basic tow bar.
Clamping onto the bumper type tow bar is one that uses a clamping type of assemblies that clamps onto a vehicle's bumper, the clamping onto the bumper type tow bar, comprises of the basic tow bar and the selected component parts that make up a clamping type assembly with two safety bar.
Whereas, the Multi-Interchangeable basic tow bar is changed into abutment up to the bumper type tow bar by using bolt-pin holes and bolts to attach the connector assemblies that abuts up to a vehicle's bumper, for towing. This accomplished by attaching to center bar, a draw chain tightening hook attached to center brace, with said draw chain placed into said draw chain tightening hook, extending draw chain rearwardly longitudinal through lower draw chain holes in swivel vertical brace assemblies and under vehicle's bumper and attached to the frame of vehicle said draw chain is then tightened to secure said tow bar to vehicle for towing.
In further reference to prior art when considering the following patents: Safford, Shattle, et al, Woodke and Hawkins patented tow bars are of a type that has connector assemblies that abuts up to a vehicle's wherein, each patent is for a type of tow bar that has connector assemblies that are welded onto the rear end of said tow bar arms and all other clamps chains and draw chains are permanently placed there without any intent to change said tow bars into a different design.
A problem solved by the Multi-Interchangeable Tow Bar is through use of its adaptability to change from a tow bar abutment to bumper type, to a clamping to a bumper type of tow bar, said tow bar meets the need to adapt to change from one vehicle to another.
Shattle, Woodke, Safford, Hawkins and Milner show a chain means, wherein, each have used a chain means to draw their tow bars up to a vehicle to be towed. A chain means is used to attach the clamping assemblies or a safety chain as a draw chain in the abutment type of tow bar.
The Multi-Interchangeable Tow Bar has taken advantage of it's use of chain means in abutment up to bumper type of tow bar, in which, a draw chain is used to secure said tow bar to the vehicle to be towed.